Words of Wisdom for Retirement

My words of wisdom for retirement to you would have to be rooted in
my experience and observation after more than ten years in retirement.

Elsewhere on this Website I paraphrased the introduction to The Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I can't do better than using these words of wisdom when I attempt to comment on retirement.

It is the best of times, it is the worst of timesMy wife
and I expected retirement to be exciting with lots of time to travel,
visit friends, read, and do all the things that we never had the time to
do. That's what we did, and it is truly the best of times. But in
certain ways it is also the worst of times. We have always strived to
eat and live healthy. We've always been healthy and fit. So we were
unprepared for illness and surgery when it came our way. Managing and
maintaining our health have become a constant challenge.

It is the age of wisdom, it is the age of foolishnessAfter
a lifetime of caring for our family and thriving financially we
harvested a wealth of wisdom. To share with our children and grand
children. To share with friends and colleagues. And yet, we are
surprised by some foolish and costly mistakes we make! It shakes your
confidence.

It is the epoch of belief, it is the epoch of incredulityWe
entered retirement with a belief in what is right and we knew what is
wrong. Our incredulity kicks in when society wants us to change our
beliefs. When it attempts to cloud over the distinct borders between
right and wrong. And doubt sets in. So that I ask myself: Is what I
believe really right?

It is the season of Light, it is the season of DarknessFor
us retirement is truly the season of Light. We have plenty of time to
spend with our Lord and Saviour. Time to read, and reflect on, difficult
books by writers like Philip Yancy and CS Lewis. Time to get involved
in some ministries of our congregation. Time to meditate on words of
wisdom for retirement. But we remain aware of the destructive forces of
the powers of Darkness in society around us.

It is the spring of hope, it is the winter of despairThe
season of Light makes retirement the spring of hope! Hope for the lives
of our grand children. Hope for our community and our country. The
winter of despair for retirees lies in the uncertainty of the times we
live in. Our retirement portfolios were devastated by the economic
depression. Will it recover? Will we be able to pay our expenses as
planned? In developing this Website I read and research the subject of
retirement widely, and the picture is bleak to say the least. Even for
people that made adequate provision for retirement.

We have everything before us, we have nothing before us!In
retirement we have everything before us. I stand amazed at what
retirees do and achieve. But we live in a time where the pattern for
retirement, as our parents experienced it, has changed. And in a way
that leaves us with nothing. Nothing to model our retirement on. Nothing
to learn from. In most cases no time for a new career. No time to
recover financially.